Switch



Nov.. 8, 1949 E T. PLATZ 2,487,725

' SWITCH Filed Feb. ll, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. WOOJ E. T. PLATZNov. 8, 1949 SWITCH 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 11. 1948 Patented Nov.8, 1949 SWITCH Elwood T. Platz, Detroit, Mich.,

assignor to Bulldog Electric Products Company, Detroit, Mich., acorporation of West Virginia f Application February 11, 1948, Serial No.7,600

f (ci. zoo-116) 4 Claims. l

This application relates to switches and more particularly tov manuallyoperable switches having automatic overload release provisions.

My Patent No. 2,385,727 of September 25, 1945, discloses a switch whichincludes a contacter releasably held by a latch which is adapted to bereleased either manually or automatically, as on overloads.

In such switch parts are provided so that the co-engagement of anunlatching and relatching handle with a part of the casing deiines anextreme outer position of the handle to indicate that there had been anautomatic unlatching as a cause for circuit opening. In addition partsyare provided so that the cri-engagement of the handle with a pawldefines an intermediate position of the handle to indicate that theparts are in closed circuit position. These are the only two restpositions of the handle in such switch.

It has been found desirable and a principal object of the presentinvention is to provide parts which indicate not only the fact ofcircuit opened condition, but also, as to the former, the cause forcircuit opening, whether the circuit open condition be due to manualoperation or be due to overload release operation.

Therefore it is an object of the present invention to provide in such aswitch a pawl or the like for engaging a lug of the handle but onlyafter and in response to an unlatching stroke of such handle to dene aposition of the handle diiferent from those dened by the parts shown inmy Patent 2,385,727 whereby to indicate that there had been a manualunlatching and thus indicate not only the fact of circuit openedcondition but also the cause for circuit opening.

A further object is to obtain such a characteristic in a switch of sucha character that all operations of the handle, at least from the pointof view of the user, are substantially identical. With switches soconstructed that substantially identical movements, so far as theoperator is concerned, are required for closing the switch after amanual opening and for closing it after an automatic opening, it isquite a dirlicult problem to provide means to indicate not only the factthat the switch is open, but also to indicate which factor caused theswitch to open, manual operation or automatic overload releaseoperation. Therefore, another principal object of the present inventionis to provide in a switch of a character that requires no substantiallydiierent movement of the handle for closing after manual opening thanfor closing after automatic opening, means to indicate not only that thecircuit is open, but also the cause of opening, manual or automaticopening.

A switch constructed in accordance with the foregoing objects in mindhas been disclosed in the appended drawings. In these drawings Fig. 1shows a switch in perspective.

Fig. 2 is a section (as if on line 2 2 of Fig. 1), but showing theswitch parts in their circuit closed position, and with the indicator,in this case a handle, in its lower-most position to indicate that thecircuit is closed.

Fig. 3 is a view like Fig. 2 but showing the switch parts in opencircuit position and with the indicator or handle in an intermediateposition to indicate that circuit opening was caused manually,

Fig. 4 is a view like Fig. 3 showing the parts in circuit open position,but with the indicator or handle in an upper-most position to indicatethat the circuit opening was caused by automatic overload release.

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5 5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating the cooperation of the switch casing,the indicator or handle, and a legend card mounted in the handle forindication purposes.

Fig. '7 shows an indicator return arrangement in detail. The drawingsshow the switch as comprising a cup shaped casing I0 having an openfront closed by a plate or cover I I secured thereto by screws I2.

The back of the case is formed with a vent opening I3 and through theback project line and load terminals I4 and i5 respectively.

In an opening I6 reciprocates an indicating element having an exposedpart providing a handle II formed as a push button. Within the casing isa handle return spring 3|, Fig. 7, which normally biases the handleoutwardly. The handle is adapted to be pushed in for its usefulfunctions, such. as circuit opening and relatching, and when released bythe person operating the switch, the handle is returned-idly andautomatically by the handle return spring 3l in an idle return strokeduring which reclosing of the circuit is accomplished by parts describedlater, these operating without assistance from the released handle,whose outward movement, though simultaneous with circuit closing, isindependent of the circuit closing operation, the latter beingaccomplished in a manner later to be described.

Outward movement of the handle is limited by the cooperationof handlelugs 34-I 34 and translator pawls 35--I35, respectively, Figs. 2-3.Still another limitation or stop for handle movement namely,

with pawl 35, and lug |34 with pawl |35, de-

termines outward travel of the handle but only during the closedcircuit, on, Fig, 2, and the manually caused open circuit positions,oiI, Fig. 3, respectively, merely holding the handle in a full in or "onposition, Fig. 2, and in an intermediate or oil position, Fig. 3 andpreventing the handle from going all the way out to its tripped, Figs.4-7, position. Lugs 36-31 define the full out or tripped position of thehandle.

Handle position is relied upon to indicate `the position of the circuitclosing parts within the casing, and also to indicate the cause ofcircuit opening. The handle is furthest out in the tripped position,held by lug 31, that is to say, the position when the circuit is openand opening has been caused by overload release. The handle is held bythe pawl 35 in its full in or on position. The handle is held by thepawl |35 in an intermediate position to indicate the fact that thecircuit is open and that opening has been caused by manual actuation.

Lugs 36 and 31 of the handle and casing cooperate to dene a full out ortripped position (Figs. 4 7) for the handle to indicate that circuitopening was caused by overload release.

Movement of the handle is utilized to operate an indicator in the formof a plate 36 having an .actuating lug 45 and having trip, 011, and off"markings. The plate is disposed within an undercut portion lll of thehandle so that only one of the three markings of the plate is visible atany time through a window slot d? of the handle. The lug it rides in acamming groove 43 formed in the upper portion of the back of the casing.

As the handle moves up and down, the plate 38 moves Iback and forthalternately in the undercut 4| to expose its markings alternately toview through the slot 42. When the handle is full out or in the trippedposition, the lug 40 of the indicator plate 38 is in the upper part ofthe groove 43 and the trip marking is exposed through slot 42. As thehandle is moved down, plate 38 slides down with the handle and forwardof the slot to present its on and off markings to slot 42. In the on"position of the handle, lug 40 of plate 38 is in that part of groove 43which causes plate 38 to have its on marking exposed through slot 42.Only when the handle is in the extreme out or tripped position will thelug 40 be in the upper part of groove 43 so that the trip marking ofplate 36 is exposed through slot 42.

The handle occupies but two circuit open positions. The handle has threerest positions, trip, on and oi, and these three positions indicate thecondition of the circuit-controlling parts of the breaker and the causeof circuit opening.

These parts include a stationary contact 44,

, formed integral with line terminal I4, and positioned near a stop lug41 of the casing. Adapted to makebutt contact with the stationarycontact 44 is a movable L-shaped contactor 49 to which is riveted at 5|a bimetal strip or overload release means 52. Rivet 5| is formed as apin to provide a loose pivotal connection between the contactor-overloadrelease means assembly- 49-52, and a translator in the form of a plate53 of insulation, the latter having an elongated back of the casing.Pawls 35 and |36 are integral parts of plate 53.

An operating spring 56 reacts against the lower surface of the casingand has its upper end entgaging a spring lug 56 formed from the contac-Springf56 functions to rotate the contactor-release means assemblycounter-clockwise for circuit opening on the axis or pin 5| when thelatch. I

that is the hook 60 forming the free end of the bimetal strip 52, isreleased from engagement from the latch holding abutment, the latchingedge 6| of the plate 53.

Spring .56 also biases the contactor 43 and the plate 53 upwardly whenthe latch holds and thus providesa force to move the contactor towardsand against the stationary contact 44 for circuit closing when the latchis relatched or holding.

Release of latch 60 from the holding means 6| is effected eitherautomatically by the warping of the release means, the bimetal 52 onoverload, or manually by the camming action provided by a manual releasemeans in the form of a sloping cam 62 formed integral with the handle inthe specii'lc embodiment shown, but adapted to be formed in any othersuitable way so as to form an operative connection between the handle orindicating element vand the latch 50. When the manual release means orcam 52 is pushed down, as by pushing the handle down, it cams latch 65off the abutment 6| to permit circuit opening movement of the parts, thecontactor being rocked counter-clockwise relative to the plate 53 by thespring 55 for circuit opening.

In a circuit opening action spring 55 through pivot axis 5| will slidethe plate 53 upwardly with the latter guided by the casing. Theengagement of the lower edge of plate slot 54 with casing stop 55 willlimit such movement of the plate. That stop 55 will at that timefunction as a pivot for the plate 53 and since the line of action ofspring 55 through axis 5| is to the left of that pivot, plate 53 willrock clockwise about stop 55 under the spring biasing force. Pawl 35 ofplate 53 which normally holds handle I1 at lug 34 against extremeoutward movement, will In the on position, however, the plate 53 is sopositioned by the spring 56 and by the casing walls that pawl' 35engages handle lug 34 to hold the handle against outward travel. Aexible connector 65 connects the bimetal strip to the load terminal 5 tocomplete the circuit.

To relatch the parts, after a circuit opening, handle I1 is pushed downto cause notch 1| to engage a resetting lug'12 of the plate 53 and tocause the pin 5| to slide downwardly. The part of plate 53 connectingrelatching lug 12 and pin 5| acts as a translator. The contactor 43 willmove downwardly with pin 5| until it reaches resetting stop 41 of thecasing, if it has not already reached that stop. Continued downwardmovement of the handle, the lug 12, and the pin 5|, will cause thecontactor to rock clock- `wise on axis 5I far enough to cause latch 60 lthe handle by the operator at that time will permit the handle to returnoutwardly and idly vand at the same time will permit spring 56 to SlOt54 receiving a Stop lug 55 formed on the 75 rock the contactor slightlycounter-clockwise so that it will assume its final on position withlatch 60 engaging abutment 6| and with the contacts engaged underpressure of spring 56 and plate 53 will have rocked counter-clockwise toremove its lug T2 out of the path of the relatching notch 1|.

Indication When the parts are in the on position oi' Fig. 2, the handleis held in its innermost position by the engagement of parts 34-35.

When the circuit opens due to an overload release, the translator 53 isrocked clockwise slightly to remove its pawl 35 from handle lug 34 sothat handle return spring 3| can move the handle outwardly until handlelug 38 is engaged by casing lug 31, Fig. 7, which engagement terminateshandle movement. In such clockwise movement of plate 53, its pawl |35will not have moved into the path oi travel of handle lug |34 beforethat handle lug |34 has moved outwardly beyond pawl |35 and,consequently, pawl 35 will not in any way interfere with full outwardtravel of the handle.

However, when the circuit is opened due to a manual actuation, handle |1will have traveled inwardly from the position of Fig. 2 suillcient toenable the latch release cam 62 to engage and release the latch 60, andplate 53 will have moved clockwise to present its pawl |35 into the pathof travel of the handle lug |34. Because the handle was pushed inwardlyinto the casing a considerable extent, pawl 35 will be engaged by andwill interfere with movement of handle lug |34 and will, thus, hold thehandle by the engagement at |34-|35 in the intermediate position of Fig.3, thus indicating that the circuit opening was due to a manual release,as' by pushing the handle inwardly from the position 0f Fig. 2.

There will be no cooperation between parts |34 and |35 unless the handlehad been pushed inwardly prior to the movement of pawl |35 into the pathof travel of lug |34. Thus, there is no cooperation between parts 34| 35on overload release opening, and, thus, there is nothing to prevent thehandle from moving all the way out to the position of Fig. 4 on anoverload release opening. However, if the opening were caused by manualactuation, namely by pushing the handle inwardly, parts 34 and |35 willcooperate and will prevent the handle from moving outwardly to theposition of Fig. 4, but instead will prevent the handle from movingoutwardly beyond the position of Fig. 3. The difference in handleposition evidenced by a comparison of handle position of Fig. 3 withthat of Fig. 4, furnishes an indication as to the cause for latchrelease and the cause for circuit opening movement.

Now having described the switch or circuit breaker herein disclosed,reference should be had to the claims which follow for a determinationof the invention.

I claim:

1. In a switch of the character comprising a stationary contact, amovable contactor for engaging it, latch means for the contactor, springmeans for moving the unlatched contactor from the contact and for urgingthe latched contactor against the contact, a handle for engaging thelatch directly and unlatching it so that the con- .tactor leaves thecontact, the handle being movable for relatching the released latch sothat the contactor returns to contact engaging position, there to beheld by the spring, the handle being formed to have an advance strokeand a return stroke, two strokes in each cycle of movement, and soarranged with respect to the latch means and the contactor that in thenormal operation of the handle it goes through a complete cycle forlatch releasing and a complete cycle forv relatching and circuitclosing, the handle being formed to be advanced manually and returnedautomatically unless held, a return spring for automatically returningthe handle, a stop for limiting the outward movement ofthe handle causedby the return spring to an extreme position, a pawl for limiting outwardmovement of the handle, when it is engaged by the pawl to anintermediate position, the pawl being movable into and out of a handlestopping position, and means connecting the handle and the pawl wherebythe pawl shifts from handle stopping position in response to advance ofthe handle from its intermediate position and shifts into handlestopping position in response to advance of the handle from its extremeposition, .that improvement which consists of a second pawl in saidswitch and a stop lug on said handle, said second pawl and said stop lugbeing arranged to coengage but only in response to a manually caused,unlatching, stroke of said handle and arranged to define a position forsaid handle, different from that deiined by the interengagement of therst mentioned pawl with the handle, whereby to indicate that the handlehad been advanced manually to cause unlatching and thereby switchopening manually.

2. In a switch of the character comprising latch means, and a handleseparate from the latch means for unlatching it, and spring means formoving the latch means well away from latching position when it isunlatched, the handle being operable for returning the latch means tothe latching position after it is moved away therefrom by the spring, apawl for engaging the handle to limit its movement, the handle, in itsunlatching movement 'also releasing the pawl from it, and in itsrelatching movement resetting the pawl to handle motion limitingposition, the pawl, when engaging the handle, defining an outwardposition of the handle intermediate its extreme outward and inwardpositions, that improvement which consists of a second pawl in saidswitch and a stop lug on said handle, said second pawl and said stop lugbeing arranged to coengage but only in response to a manually caused,unlatching, stroke of said handle and arranged to deilne a. position forsaid handle, different from that deilned by the interengagement of therst mentioned pawl with the handle, whereby to indicate that the handlehad been advanced manually to cause unlatching and thereby switchopening manually.

3. In a switch of the character comprising a contactor, automaticallyand manually releasable latch means therefor, automatic latch releasingmeans, spring means for moving the contactor from circuit closingposition when it is unlatched, and a manually accessible and manuallyactuated means having a portion for releasing the latch means, and atranslator for operatively connecting the latch means and the manualmeans but only when the latch means is unlatched, for enabling themanual means to relatch the latch means, the latch means and translatorbeing interconnected so that unlatching positions the translator into amanual means engaging path, and relatching moves it out of that path, apawl forming part of the translator for engaging the manually actuatedmeans to limit its movement, the manually actuated means, in its,la.tch'releasing movement, also releasing the pawl-v from it, and in itsrelatching movement resetting the pawl to a position where it limitsmovement of the manually actuated means, that improvement Awhichconsists of a second pawl on said translator, and a stop lug on saidmanually actuated means, said second pawl and said stop lug beingarranged to coengage but only in response to a manually causedunlatching movement of said manually actuated means and arranged .todenne a position for said manually actuated means, different from thatdefined by the. interengagement of the irst mentioned pawl with' themanually actuated means, whereby to indicate that the manually actuatedmeans had been moved manually to cause unlatching and thereby switchopening manually.

' a. In a. switch of the character comprising a manual means constructedand guided to have successive identical movements, automaticallyandmanually releasable latch means, automatic latchreleasing means, acam forming an operative unlatching connection between the manual meansandthe latch meansand a translator for forming anoperative relatchingconnection between the manual means and the latch means, the parts beingso constructed that the translator is in a position to connect themanual means and latch means operatively, but only when the latch meansis .-unlatched, being out of that position when the latch means islatched, the latch means and translator being so operatively connectedthat ,when the latch means is unlatched it moves the translator intomanual means engaging position, andfvwhen'the latch means is moved tolatch, it moves the` translator out of manual means en- 4gagingposition, and when the translator is in manual means engaging positionand is moved by the manual means, it translates manual means movementinto relatching movement of the latch means, a pawl forming part of thetranslator for engaging the manual means to limit its movement, themanual means, in its unlatching movement, also releasing the pawl fromit, and in its rel-etching movement resetting the pawl to a positionwhere it limits movement of the manual means, the pawl and the manualmeans being so formed that the position in which the pawl holds themanual means is an intermediate position of the manual means, differentfrom the position it occupies when the pawl does not hold the manualoperable means, whereby manual means position indicates the position ofthe pawl, the translator, and the latch, that improvement which consistsof a second pawl on said translator, and a stop lug on said manuallyactuated means, said second pawl and said stop lug being arranged tocoengage but only in response to la manually caused unlatching movementof said manually actuated means and arranged to define a position forsaid manually actuated means, diierent from that defined by theinterengagement of the rst mentioned pawl with the manually actuatedmeans, whereby to indicate that the manually actuated means had beenmoved manually to cause unlatching and thereby switch opening manually.

ELWOOD T. PLATZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile 4othis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,656,851 Anderson et al Jan. 17,1928 2,013,827 Jennings Sept. 10, 1935 2,212,732 Fisher Aug. 27, 19402,231,072 Jackson Feb. 11, 1941 2,385,727 Platz Sept. 25, 1945

